SIGN VARIANCE COMMITTEE
MINUTES FOR THE
DECEMBER 8, 2008 MEETING
The Sign Variance Committee Meeting was called to order at 6:00 PM. The meeting was held in the Council Chambers of the Village of Evendale Municipal Building. Members present were Chairman Ted Mueller, Council Representative Stiney Vonderhaar, Fred Caston, Bob Luther, and Wayne Mosley.
The committee heard the following request:
Boy Scouts of America, 10078 Reading Road, Evendale, Ohio 45241
Request for two variances from Section 1262.11 of the Village of Evendale Zoning code:
- A 54 square foot variance from the allowable 60 square foot maximum size for a monument sign;
Tracy Techau, Boy Scouts of America (BSA), explained that the building under construction will become the Regional Headquarter for the Dan Beard Council, serving 12 counties in the tri-state area. He estimates that 5,000 boys join the Boy Scouts every year. It is essential that the new building is easily located.
Sean Easter, BHDP Architecture, presented the proposed signs. Section 1262.11 of the Village of Evendale Zoning Code allows monument signs in the General Commercial District to be a maximum size of 60 square feet, 8 feet tall, with a setback of 20 feet. The proposed monument sign is 114 square feet, 8 feet tall, with a setback of 32 feet. The BSA is requesting a 54 square foot variance in maximum size. The sign will serve both the Boy Scouts and Gorman Heritage Farm and include a LED reader board. The use of the LED board will eliminate the use of temporary banners. The Boys Scouts will take on all cost of the sign including construction, operation and maintenance of the sign.
Stiney Vonderhaar, stating that since the sign serves two organizations and that the Planning Commission felt that the size increase was warranted, made a motion to recommend to Council to approve the proposed 114 square foot monument sign. Wayne Mosley seconded the motion. The motion passed with a 4 yes, 1 no vote.
The retaining wall sign will be placed on the 113 foot long, two foot high wall along the east side of the retention pond/water feature. On the proposed sign, “Dan Beard Council” will be 2” letters pin-mounted on top of the wall, with 12” high “Boy Scouts of America” letters placed directly on the wall. Sean Easter explained that putting the entire sign on the wall would push the “Boy Scouts of America” too far down and making them difficult to see. Visibility of this sign is paramount for the Boy Scouts.
The Boys Scouts have been granted two wall signs. The wall sign on the west elevation, facing Reading Road, is 135 square feet; the second sign on the south elevation, facing the parking lot, is 85 square feet.
Bob Luther made a motion to recommend to Council to accept the proposed retaining wall sign if the “Dan Beard Council” lettering is also placed on the wall directly in front of the “ Boy Scouts of America’ lettering. Stiney Vonderhaar seconded the motion. The vote was 2 yes, 3 no. Wayne Mosley justified his no vote by stating that he felt that four signs on this property were too many.
A short discussion followed the first motion. Bob Luther made a second motion, seconded by Fred Caston, to recommend to Council to approve the retaining wall sign if the “Dan Beard Council” letters were completely eliminated. The motion passed with a vote of 3 yes, 2 no. Both Wayne Mosley and Ted Mueller continued to voice their concerns about the number of signs.
Stiney Vonderhaar made a motion, with a second from Fred Caston, to approve the minutes as read. The motion passed with a vote of 5 yes, 0 no.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:35 PM.
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Ted Mueller, Chairperson
Sign Variance Committee
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